Searching for birth families and relatives

If you were adopted, either some time ago or recently, Hampshire County Council’s Adoption Support Team can help

Access to birth records

If you have not already done so, you need to consider accessing your adoption records before searching for birth relatives so you can find out the background information about your adoption.

Counselling

Counselling can help you understand how you feel about being adopted and a chance to discuss the circumstances around your adoption, your birth history and your adoptive family.

Supporting you to trace birth relatives (intermediary services)

If you want to find your birth family we offer the chance to discuss your expectations and fears as well as finding information from your records before going further and actively searching for birth family

members. We can provide information on tracing relatives.

Helping you stop birth relatives tracing you

An adopted person has the right to set up an absolute or partial veto that can prevent them from being contacted by a birth relative. The Adoption Support Team will help and advise you if this is what you want to do and record your preferences and wishes on your adoption records.

Contact with your birth family

In most circumstances, any contact arrangements with a birth family are set up as part of an Adoption Order. However, if it is the right thing for the adopted child, contact arrangements can be reviewed at a later date. Please contact us if you need advice about contact arrangements.

Support group

Hampshire’s Adoption Support Team regularly run a workshop for adults who are accessing their records, tracing birth relatives, and for birth relatives who are seeking or have had a reunion.